I'm getting mighty weary on this journey. On the other hand, I know my little health tribulations and trials are minor compared to what others are going through. My favorite saying is: From the ride in the cradle to the ride in the hearse, nothing's so bad that it couldn't be worse.
I went to my surgeon doctor the other day to have my achy shoulders/arms x-rayed to see if maybe a cortisone shot might help. She said I had an old bone spur near or on the rotator cuff but didn't want to give me an injection just yet because of how my knee was looking. I mentioned that it was draining and bleeding a bit but I didn't know if "a bit" was a big deal or not. I did know I didn't like looking at it.
She prescribed an antibiotic and a special antibiotic cream. Told me to cease physical therapy and to rest. I think that cost was around $60 or so. This morning I get a call that the culture they took of my knee came back for mursa. MERCY! I've heard of that crap! How'd I get that? Yep. Panic setting in 'cause it's what I do! Meanwhile, google tells me that mursa is a staph infection and it doesn't mean I have the flesh-eating variety. That's comforting. I guess.
Doctor says to discontinue the antibiotic (that I've only taken for a day or so) and to go get this NEW prescription. Needless to say, I signed up for prescription coverage this morning. Drugs are ruining my life or at the least....my pocketbook!
I have a doctor appt with another P.A. at 4:15 this afternoon to see if I have a urinary tract infection. I felt something was amiss last week. Google says the staph infection I have from my knee can cause UTIs. Interesting. I'm at the mercy of one damn bug after another. I knew something was off because I continued to be tired, depressed, listless, and just plain "off." If she ends up giving me another antibiotic, I'll have to be sure it doesn't clash with the latest antibiotic I'm starting today.
One thing that especially annoyed me is that I wasn't told specifically to use a q-tip to apply the ointment to my knee. I just used my finger and then put on a fresh bandage. Apparently, that's a no-no. That may be an obvious procedure for the medical people but it didn't occur to me that touching the wound was something I shouldn't be doing. I was told to clean the wound with soap and water and/or hydrogen peroxide before putting on the cream. To make matters worse, Jenni was helping me dress the wound and apply fresh bandages. She naturally had concerns that the staph infection was being passed on but the nurse seemed to think that just washing your hands after was good enough and to not touch it again! Am I a tad annoyed that I was expected to know all this?
Safeway pharmacy just called and told me the 20 pills the doctor prescribed this morning is going to cost $2444! Suggested I call the doctor to see if there's something else I can take or if I can apply for help from the drug company. I called the doctor and the receptionist said she would discuss it with the doctor and they'd get back to me. Meanwhile, what's the solution? Walmart wanted $2800 for the same drug.
I called the surgeon's office back and told them I read online that if I was taking prozac, I shouldn't take Zyvox. The nurse said their records didn't indicate I was on prozac. What?! Meanwhile, the doctor prescribed bactrim DS instead...although....she said it wasn't her first choice. What's that mean? Will it work or will it not work? Kind of left high and dry here. Safeway says the Bactrim is a very inexpensive prescription so at least that's a comfort. I kind of feel like I'm being jerked around. You feel an obligation to follow doctor's orders but yet if you don't have the dough to buy overpriced drugs, what's a person to do? I suspect that even if I did have prescription insurance, they'd probably pay only half. I don't like being at the mercy of drug companies! We've got one lousy medical system in place in this country...but then we all know that already!
I did sign up for the AARP drug program called Saver Plus. It cost $30 a month with a $310 deductible. And, medicare will stick their nose in once they're notified I sign up so they can charge me each month with a penalty fee for not signing up in 2008. Quite the little racket they got going. Who says it doesn't pay to be on welfare?!
Okay. I'm done ranting for today. Gonna walk out to the mailbox and see what kind of junk is sitting there to entertain me.
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